EU expects Serbia, Kosovo leaders to back deal to normalise ties

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna meet at the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, February 18, 2023. Sven Hoppe/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Leaders of former wartime enemies Serbia and Kosovo are expected to endorse a Western-backed deal on Monday to put their relations on a more normal footing, a senior European Union official said.

Kosovo declared independence in 2008, almost a decade after war brought an end to Serbian rule. But Serbia still regards Kosovo as a breakaway province and flare-ups between the Balkan neighbours over the years have stoked fears of a return to war.